Simply spectacular ...

Simply spectacular ...

Watercress Soup

250 g watercress, de-stalked and chopped, a few leaves reserved for garnishing, 110g butter, the white part of 5 leeks (weighing about 400 g), cleaned and roughly chopped, 4 potatoes (about 700 g), peeled and roughly chopped, 1.75 litres hot stock made with Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder, 4 heaped tablespoons creme fraiche, salt and freshly milled black pepper

First of all, melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan, then add the chopped leeks, potatoes and watercress and stir them around so they are coated in butter. Next, sprinkle in some salt, then cover with a lid and let the vegetables sweat over a very gentle heat for about 20 minutes, giving the mixture a good stir about halfway through.
After that, add the stock, bring everything up to simmering point and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are quite tender.
Then remove the pan from the heat and when the soup has cooled a little, blend it in batches, then return it to the saucepan.
Now stir in 3 tablespoons of creme fraiche, season to taste and re-heat the soup very gently, without letting it boil. Serve it in hot bowls and garnish each one with the reserved watercress leaves and an extra swirl of creme fraiche.

Tagliatelle with peas and mushrooms

100 g mushrooms, 50 g bacon, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 200 g green peas, 1 teaspoon sugar, 200 g canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, 125 g creme fraiche, 200 g tagliatelle, 30 g parmesan

Slice the mushrooms and the bacon. Heat the butter together with the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, the peas, sugar and the bacon. Fry for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add the tomatoes and saute for 15 minutes, add the cream and the condiments.
Boil the pasta al dente and mix it with the vegetables. Sprinkle the parmesan on top.

Simon's Cat - Shelf life

Can I just say this is my cat at 3 o'clock in the morning? Every morning...

Introducing...

What a funny little movie...

Cranberry & blue cheese tart with pear salad

4 onions, finely sliced, 2 tbsp olive oil, 375 g pack ready-rolled puff pastry, 3 tbsp cranberry sauce, 75 g blue cheese

For the salad: 2 Little Gem lettuces, leaves separated, 1 pear, cored and thinly sliced, 2 tbsp salad dressing

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
In a non-stick frying pan, cook the onions in the olive oil with some seasoning for 12-15 mins until golden and soft.
Lay the pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread over the cranberry sauce, leaving a small border. Scatter over the onions.
Bake for 20-25 mins, sprinkling with cheese halfway through.
Toss the lettuce leaves and pear with the dressing and serve alongside the tart.

Amazing...

Wow :D

El Cielo de Canarias 2012 / The Light of Stars from Daniel López on Vimeo.